2 Corinthians · Catholic Public Domain Version
2 Corinthians 8 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 And so we are making known to you, brothers, the grace of God that has been given in the churches of Macedonia.
1 Γνωρίζω δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δεδομένην ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Μακεδονίας,
2 For within a great experience of tribulation, they have had an abundance of joy, and their profound poverty has only increased the richness of their simplicity.
2 ὅτι ἐν πολλῇ δοκιμῇ θλίψεως ἡ περισσεία τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία αὐτῶν ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν·
3 And I bear witness to them, that they were willing to accept what was in accord with their ability, and even what was beyond their ability.
3 ὅτι κατὰ δύναμιν, μαρτυρῶ, καὶ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν, αὐθαίρετοι,
4 For they were begging us, with great exhortation, for the grace and the communication of the ministry that is with the saints.
4 μετὰ πολλῆς παρακλήσεως δεόμενοι ἡμῶν τὴν χάριν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους,
5 And this is beyond what we had hoped, since they gave themselves, first of all to the Lord, and then also to us, through the will of God,
5 καὶ οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν πρῶτον τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ,
6 so much so that we petitioned Titus, that in the same manner as he had begun, he would also complete in you this same grace.
6 εἰς τὸ παρακαλέσαι ἡμᾶς Τίτον, ἵνα καθὼς προενήρξατο οὕτω καὶ ἐπιτελέσῃ εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν χάριν ταύτην.
7 But, just as in all things you abound in faith and in word and in knowledge and in all solicitude, and even more so in your charity toward us, so also may you abound in this grace.
7 ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ ἐν παντὶ περισσεύετε, πίστει καὶ λόγῳ καὶ γνώσει καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπῃ, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι περισσεύητε.
8 I am speaking, not commanding. But through the solicitude of others, I approve of the good character of your charity.
8 Οὐ κατ᾽ ἐπιταγὴν λέγω, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρων σπουδῆς καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης γνήσιον δοκιμάζων·
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that through his poverty, you might become rich.
9 γινώσκετε γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσε πλούσιος ὤν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε.
10 And about this, I give my counsel. For this is useful to those of you who, only a year earlier, had just begun to act, or even to be willing to act.
10 καὶ γνώμην ἐν τούτῳ δίδωμι· τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν συμφέρει, οἵτινες οὐ μόνον τὸ ποιῆσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θέλειν προενήρξασθε ἀπὸ πέρυσι·
11 So, truly now, accomplish this in deed, so that, in the same manner as your willing mind is prompted, you may also act, out of that which you have.
11 νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τὸ ποιῆσαι ἐπιτελέσατε, ὅπως καθάπερ ἡ προθυμία τοῦ θέλειν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι ἐκ τοῦ ἔχειν.
12 For when the will is prompted, it receives according to what that person has, not according to what that person does not have.
12 εἰ γὰρ ἡ προθυμία πρόκειται, καθὸ ἐὰν ἔχῃ τις εὐπρόσδεκτος, οὐ καθὸ οὐκ ἔχει.
13 And it is not that others should be relieved, while you are troubled, but that there should be an equality.
13 οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλοις ἄνεσις, ὑμῖν δὲ θλῖψις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξ ἰσότητος ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ τὸ ὑμῶν περίσσευμα εἰς τὸ ἐκείνων ὑστέρημα,
14 In this present time, let your abundance supply their need, so that their abundance may also supply your need, in order that there may be an equality, just as it was written:
14 ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἐκείνων περίσσευμα γένηται εἰς τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα, ὅπως γένηται ἰσότης,
15 “He with more did not have too much; and he with less did not have too little.”
15 καθὼς γέγραπται· ὁ τὸ πολὺ οὐκ ἐπλεόνασε, καὶ ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησε.
16 But thanks be to God, who has granted to the heart of Titus, this same solicitude for you.
16 Χάρις δὲ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ διδόντι τὴν αὐτὴν σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Τίτου,
17 For certainly, he accepted the exhortation. But since he was more solicitous, he went to you of his own free will.
17 ὅτι τὴν μὲν παράκλησιν ἐδέξατο, σπουδαιότερος δὲ ὑπάρχων αὐθαίρετος ἐξῆλθε πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
18 And we have even sent with him a brother whose praise accompanies the Gospel throughout all the churches.
18 συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν· —
19 And not only that, but he was also chosen by the churches to be a companion for our sojourn in this grace, which is ministered by us with our determined will, to the glory of the Lord.
19 οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν συνέκδημος ἡμῶν σὺν τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου δόξαν καὶ προθυμίαν ἡμῶν· —
20 So let us avoid this, lest anyone disparage us over the abundance that is ministered by us.
20 στελλόμενοι τοῦτο, μή τις ἡμᾶς μωμήσηται ἐν τῇ ἁδρότητι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν,
21 For we provide for what is good, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of men.
21 προνοούμενοι καλὰ οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων.
22 And we have also sent with them our brother, whom we have proven to be frequently solicitous in many matters. But now there is a greater solicitousness, which is greatly entrusted to you;
22 συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν, ὃν ἐδοκιμάσαμεν ἐν πολλοῖς πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα, νυνὶ δὲ πολὺ σπουδαιότερον πεποιθήσει πολλῇ τῇ εἰς ὑμᾶς.
23 and whether it concerns Titus, who is a companion to me and a helper to you, or whether it concerns our brothers, the Apostles of the churches, it is to the glory of Christ.
23 εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου, κοινωνὸς ἐμὸς καὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς συνεργός· εἴτε ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν, ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν, δόξα Χριστοῦ.
24 Therefore, in the sight of the churches, show them the proof of your charity and of our glorying about you.
24 Τὴν οὖν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν καὶ ἡμῶν καυχήσεως ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐνδείξασθε εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Titus
A Greek coworker of Paul, not compelled to be circumcised, who carried Paul's letters to Corinth, and whom Paul left in Crete to set things in order.
Cited in the guide: 2 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Galatians 2:3
Cross references (24)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 16:9; 2 Corinthians 9:2; 2 Corinthians 11:9; Acts 11:23; 2 Corinthians 9:12
- 2 James 2:5; Proverbs 11:25; 2 Corinthians 6:10; Deuteronomy 15:4; 2 Corinthians 9:13
- 3 Exodus 35:29; Exodus 35:5; 2 Corinthians 9:6–7; Exodus 35:21–22; Philemon 14
- 4 Galatians 6:10; Acts 24:17; 2 Corinthians 9:1; Hebrews 6:10; 1 John 3:16–18
- 5 Romans 12:1; Romans 14:7–9; Romans 6:13; 2 Corinthians 8:1; 2 Chronicles 30:12
- 6 2 Corinthians 12:18; 2 Corinthians 8:19; 2 Corinthians 8:16–17; 2 Corinthians 8:4; Philippians 4:18
- 7 2 Corinthians 9:8; 2 Peter 1:5–8; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Philippians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 13:2
- 8 1 Corinthians 7:6; 1 John 3:17–19; 1 Peter 1:22; 2 Corinthians 9:7; James 2:14–16
- 9 Romans 8:32; Philippians 2:6–8; Matthew 20:28; Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 6:10
- 10 Hebrews 13:16; 1 Timothy 6:18–19; Proverbs 19:17; James 2:15–16; 2 Corinthians 9:2
- 11 2 Corinthians 9:2
- 12 Mark 12:42–44; Luke 21:1–4; Exodus 35:29; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Exodus 35:21–22
- 13 Acts 4:34; Romans 15:26–27
- 14 2 Corinthians 9:12; Acts 4:34
- 15 Exodus 16:18; Luke 22:35
- 16 Revelation 17:17; Jeremiah 32:40; 2 Corinthians 2:13–14; 2 Corinthians 7:12; Ezra 7:27
- 17 2 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 13:22; 2 Corinthians 8:10; 2 Corinthians 8:8
- 18 2 Corinthians 12:18; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 2 Corinthians 8:19; 2 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 8:22–23
- 19 1 Corinthians 16:3–4; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 2 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Peter 4:10–11; 2 Corinthians 9:12–14
- 20 Ephesians 5:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Romans 14:16; Matthew 10:16; 1 Corinthians 16:3
- 21 Romans 12:17; 1 Peter 2:12; Philippians 4:8; Titus 2:5–8; Romans 14:18
- 22 Philippians 2:20–22
- 23 Philippians 2:25; Philemon 17; 3 John 8; 2 Corinthians 8:6; Philippians 4:3
- 24 2 Corinthians 7:14; 2 Corinthians 7:4; 2 Corinthians 8:8; 2 Corinthians 9:2–4
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
See again his exhortation accompanied with commendations, greater commendations. And he said not, that ye give,' but "that ye abound; in faith," namely, of the gifts, and "in utterance," the word of wisdom, and "knowledge," namely, of the doctrines, and "in all earnestness," to the attaining of all other virtue.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
And since His voice is acknowledged in the prophecy, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell," He has brought Him down to hell and brought Him up again. By this poverty of His we are made rich; for "the Lord maketh poor and maketh rich." But that we may know what this is, let us hear what follows: "He …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For having spoken of the noble spirit they had shown in regard of their goods, he saith, "They gave also their own selves to the Lord, and to us."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For while he pursues an upright life, he takes care to maintain a good reputation as well, providing things honest in the sight of God and men, fearing God, and caring for men.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For this cause "He became poor, that He might make us rich;" for this cause He underwent all those sufferings, that He might incite us to ask.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)